IN THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND MAY
2012
Margaret and Barry
Williamson
After
a
winter in Greece and a slow 2,000-mile (3,200 km) motorhome journey across
Europe to the port of Cherbourg, we took a ferry to Rosslare in the
southeast corner of the Republic of Ireland. Our intention was to make a slow
journey through the Emerald Isle to Dublin for a ferry to Wales and thus
into England. All this was to be a new route to Motorhome
Medics in Cheltenham. We had it in mind to trade our 21-year-old
caravan for a newer model, do some work on the Mercedes Sprinter van
and then head back to Ireland, via Scotland. At the time of writing, this
intention seems to be turning itself into reality.
For this journey,
click: Images
of May in the Republic of Ireland
From the Port of Rosslare to the Apple Farm Camping
& Caravan Park, Co Cahir, Tipperary, Ireland 82
miles Open 1 May-30 Sept. See www.theapplefarm.com/camping.htm
15.50 inc 13-amp elec and free showers. Free WiFi in
Common Room. No dogs. N 52.37668Ί W
7.84340Ί
We were up early for breakfast on board the Celtic
Link ferry from Cherbourg in fact, too early as ship's time was Irish rather
than French time and we hadn't put our watches back one hour! But it was worth
the wait and very good value at 4.90 for a 'continental' or 7.90 for a 'full
Irish', both very generous and with unlimited tea or coffee.
We arrived in Rosslare, Co Wexford, on time at 1 pm. The
only parking at the port was a small 'Pay & Display' so we drove straight
out onto the N25, immediately confronted by the anomaly of this wonderful
Republic driving on the left but observing prices in Euros. Petrol at 1.65
is about the same price as France and the UK (and cheaper than Italy or
Greece). The weather is fine and dry with a strong back wind.
It's 20 years or more since we visited Ireland, when we
used to cross from Holyhead on cycle-touring holidays. In the meantime, the
country has joined the Eurozone and seen the rise and fall of the Celtic
Tiger's economy. First impressions of present day Ireland, however, are of
busy traffic on the highways and an air of orderliness and affluence.
Staying on N25 we passed plenty
of cafes, pubs and guesthouses; green fields grazed by fat
sheep and lambs, cattle and horses; the odd thatched whitewashed cottage
(usually advertising B&B); and roadside stalls selling strawberries and new
potatoes.
At New Ross we crossed the River
Barrow (the border from Co Wexford into Co Kilkenny) and noticed statues of J F
Kennedy and family, whose homestead was here. It would have been good to stop
but Aldi and Lidl car parks were full and the riverside Pay & Display had a
height barrier. Posters urged us to 'Vote Fine Gael for a Working Ireland'.
(The centre-right Fine Gael is the largest party in Ireland's
parliament, governing in coalition with Labour.)
After 49 miles, in Waterford, we turned onto N24, passing
the ruined castle by the River Suir. The pub/restaurant next to 'Castle View
B&B' looked inviting but again there was nowhere to park. Continuing west
along the Suir for 11 miles, we entered Co Tipperary at Carrick-on-Suir, where
we had a break at last, parked at an excellent well-stocked Aldi supermarket.
Through the town we also passed a Lidl store, then a Caravan Park at 63
miles.
The next town, Clonmel, was preparing for tomorrow's
Annual Show at the Racecourse. We did more shopping there at Tesco and had a
long chat with the check-out assistant about living in Ireland. We were already
warming to the friendliness of everyone we met.
Continuing west for 6 miles/9 km,
there is an ACSI-listed campsite at the Apple Farm on the right, 4 miles/6 km
before Cahir. The camping is set well back from the road, behind orchards
decked in apple blossom. The farm also grows plums and soft fruits and bottles
its own award-winning juices, on sale in the farm shop where we were welcomed
with a gift bottle of pure apple juice.
The site was busy for the
forthcoming long weekend (Monday 7 May being a Bank Holiday) and our neighbours
included Dutch, German and French campers, as well as Irish families. We
settled in and enjoyed a tasty Salmon Wellington for dinner (courtesy of Aldi
frozen food) highly recommended.
At the Apple Farm, Cahir, Co Tipperary
We were free to wander
round the farm and use the WiFi in a large common room shared with the workers.
The shop sold a range of still and sparkling juices and cordials, jams, cider
vinegar, apples and apple pies, as well as local honey. Who could resist? In
addition to apples, we bought a fitted cloth carrier (useful later for wine)
containing 4 bottles of apple juice, 1 blackcurrant & apple, 1 strawberry
& apple. Delicious.
From the farm it was possible to
cycle into Cahir on quiet back lanes and we rode into and around the town (19
km return). The substantial castle on a rocky islet in the River Suir, one of
the largest in the country, dates from 1142. See www.heritageireland.ie/en/south-east/cahircastle/
A large variety of water fowl gathered at the weir opposite
the castle, where we photographed geese, swans, ducks and a magnificent grey
heron. Further along the river, a mighty19th century railway viaduct bore a
heritage plaque. The pleasant town had a range of shops and cafes round the
central square, as well as Aldi and another supermarket beyond the castle.
To Nagles Doolin Camping &
Caravan Park, Doolin, Co Clare 94 miles Open 11
March-14 Oct. See www.doolincamping.com
21 inc 10-amp elec (and 7th night free). Showers 1. Free WiFi
throughout the site. N 53.01626Ί W 9.40200Ί
Taking the N24 northwest, past M8 junction 10 at
Cahir, it was not a long way to Tipperary (18 miles)! Pausing at a petrol
station to check tyre pressures, we were again impressed at the warmth and
friendliness. We didn't need fuel, so should we pay for the air? Of course not,
it's free for all. We did buy some stamps, as there was a post office counter
- the only place allowed to sell them in Ireland.
At 40 miles N18 led us westwards around Limerick,
continuing through a tunnel (toll 1.80, same as a car) under the Shannon and
onto motorway M18. We appreciated the small toll (unlike expensive France,
where large motorhomes are Class 3 and caravans Class 2). There were no
services or rest areas before our exit for Ennis at 64 miles. From Ennis we
headed northwest on N85, turning north onto R476 at 70 miles - a narrower road
to Corofin, where we planned to camp and meet up with friends in a holiday
cottage at Carran, a few miles north.
After parking for lunch by a quarry along the way, we
arrived in the tight village of Corofin at 76 miles. The campsite proved
unsuitable, being the small sloping garden of a hostel on Main Street.
According to our new 'Ireland 2012 Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Guide'
(available from campsites for 5, see www.campingireland.ie), the next sites were on
the coast at Doolin, less than 20 miles away. It proved a very good
choice.
The R476 continued for 9 miles to
Kilfenora, then on to Lisdoonvarna. This is the Burren, one of the largest
areas of limestone pavement in Europe and one of the natural wonders of
Ireland. www.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Burren
From Lisdoonvarna it was
southwest on R478, turning off at 92 miles for Doolin. There are 2 campsites
here, one in the village by the River Aille and another opposite the tiny
harbour, a mile or so later. We chose the second, with a marvellous view of the
Cliffs of Moher to the south, as well as the small ferries serving the
offshore Aran Islands.
As we settled in over a pot of tea, we were about to email
John & Lisi, the friends staying at Carran, when they appeared at our
door!! Quite by chance, exploring the Burren, they had driven down to the quay
and spotted our motorhome. Recovering from this coincidence, we arranged a day
out with them tomorrow which happens to be Barry's birthday.
We took advantage of a lift back
to Doolin village, where we browsed the tourist gift shops (there was no other
sort) and bought an excellent Ordnance Survey road atlas of Ireland, including
the British North, as well as a splendidly tweedy Irish Newsboy's Cap for
Barry. After walking back to the camp for dinner, M made a chocolate gateau
for tomorrow.
Birthday At Nagles
Doolin Camping & Caravan Park, Doolin, Co Clare
Barry's birthday
celebration was a great success, thanks to John & Lisi, who arrived for
mid-morning coffee just as we put the finishing touches to the gateau. There
was a cold wind but it was fine and dry.
John took us north along
the Burren coast road, soon pausing for a walk on the incredible expanse of
limestone pavement. From a distance it appears to be a barren landscape but on
closer inspection the fissures and holes in the karst support an amazing
variety of wild flowers, including different orchids, quite unexpected in this
climate near the shore. Lisi opened our eyes to the flora and fauna, expertly
naming and patiently photographing plants, butterflies and insects, just as
she had done when walking with us in the olive groves near their home in the
Greek Peloponnese. See her work on www.lisisnaturepics.blogspot.com. John's passion
is for Ireland's literary and artistic heritage, described with liberal
quotations and excellent photographs in his blog at www.sensateman.blogspot.com.
Driving on round Black Head, we
fully appreciated the ease of exploring Ireland's rural lanes in a smaller
vehicle. We rounded Black Head, with lighthouse and viewpoint, then passed the
oblong 16th century tower of the ruined Gleninagh Castle, which looked down
from a hillside to guard the north coast of the Burren. In Ballyvaghan at the
foot of Black Head Bay we enjoyed lunch by an open fire in Mona's Pub/Fish
Restaurant at the harbour. The menu title 'Crab sandwich' did not do justice
to the platter of fresh crab, salad and delicious brown bread and butter that
was served.
A little further round the coast, we parked by
Flaggy Beach for another breezy walk, watching gulls and terns diving. At
Bealaclugga we turned inland and a few miles south to Carran, for tea and
biscuits in our friends' holiday cottage. Finally, they returned us to
Doolin: a scenic drive on the most minor of country roads across the folds
of the Burren. Back in the motorhome, we finished celebrating with coffee and
birthday cake.
We are very grateful to John & Lisi for
this memorable day, which convinced us that we should return to Ireland with
the caravan and a smaller vehicle. Like them, we are enchanted by this country
and will rank it a 'Thin Place', sharing the honour with the coast of the
Greek Peloponnese. A Scottish friend, Ian Inglis, once wrote to us describing
his Highland Glen, Balquhidder (where Rob Roy McGregor is buried), as the
Thin Place - the place between heaven and earth, the closest you get to
a spiritual home, where the distance between life as we know it and our
spiritual abode is tissue thin. The name is from a song by Dougie MacLean
about his home, the Isle of Lewis:
The old man looks
out to the island. He says this place is endless thin. There's no real
distance here to mention. We might all fall in, all fall in. No distance to
the spirits of the living. No distance to the spirits of the dead. And as
he turned his eyes were shining and he proudly said (Chorus):
Feel so near to the howling of the wind. Feel so near to the crashing
of the waves. Feel so near to the flowers in the field. Feel so
near.
Still at
Nagles Doolin Camping & Caravan Park, Doolin, Co
Clare
The coastguard's base is at the
campsite entrance and we were entertained watching regular lifeboat practices,
as well as Irish Hares bounding across the meadow.
We
also had a good view of the quay from which 3 companies run small ferries over
to the Aran Islands (an hour or so off-shore), as well as short cruises along
the Cliffs of Moher. They take bicycles but not cars and the competition keeps
fares reasonable. See www.aranislands.com
and www.aranisland.info/wordpress/news/doolin-ferries-to-the-aran-islands.
Tempted to take
our bicycles across for a day on Inis Mor, the largest and furthest of the
isles, we strolled down to the pier to check sailing times.
To
our surprise, we were warned that they wouldn't sail for the next few days as a
Force Ten Gale was forecast! This was on a warm and calm afternoon, so we made
the most of it and walked along the Burren shore for the next hour or two. We
saw Dolphins at play in the sea and talked with an American couple who'd just
returned from the Moher Cliffs Cruise. Margaret asked about the sea birds 'Oh
yes, there were some Gillywags' replied the woman. Hiding our amusement, we
wondered if they'd seen the Puffins advertised on the posters? 'No' she said.
'Yes, they were flying all around us' interrupted her husband. No comment
...
The Force Ten arrived on
time the next day, with horizontal rain forcing its way into the motorhome
windows on the Atlantic side! The Cliffs of Moher disappeared from sight, the
wind raged for another 2 days and sailings were indeed cancelled. We abandoned
the idea of crossing to Aran, or visiting the Great Stalactite in Doolin Cave
(www.doolincave.ie), restricting outdoor activity
to a blustery walk into Doolin village.
Sitting out the storm, we made good use of the campsite
WiFi, which remained reliable throughout. Margaret completed the account of our
recent
journey from Greece to France and also edited new articles from
fellow-travellers (Audrey Pocock in Turkey and Rosemary Newton in the
Balkans). Barry put these on our website and circulated a piece about our
'Winter's Work'. We did some forward planning, booked a ferry from Dun
Laoghaire to Holyhead and made various arrangements with friends, campsites and
Motorhome
Medics. The weather remained disappointing but no-one visits Ireland on
account of the climate. When asked which is the best time of year to visit, the
friendly campsite owner, Ken, said 'May'!! We wonder which year that was.
Resolved to return to Ireland with a smaller vehicle,
we decided to head for Cheltenham and collect our Sprinter and
caravan.
To Lough Ree (East) Camping & Caravan Park,
Ballykeeran, Athlone, Co Westmeath 94 miles Open 6
April-23 Sept. See www.camping-ireland.ie/parks/westmeath/58-lough-ree-east-caravan-a-camping-park.html
23 inc 16-amp elec. Showers 1. No WiFi. N
53.44841Ί W 7.88903Ί
From
Doolin village it was 5 miles to Lisdoonvarna (the nearest post office or
supermarket, though parking difficult). Here we took the N67 northeast across
the Burren, a surprisingly narrow main road which climbed over Corkscrew Hill
before dropping to sea level in Ballyvaghan at 15 miles. The N67 followed the
coast to the tiny fishing village of Kinvarra, 12 miles later, then passed the
ruins of Dongory Castle. It looked interesting but the small car park was full.
We stopped to make lunch in the next village, Killeenara, at 32
miles.
It was a relief to meet the
wider N18 at 35 miles and turn left for Galway. After another 5 miles we turned
off for a shopping mall signed on the left and found a Lidl store, which had
basic supplies. Back on N18 northwards, then we joined the M6 junction 19 (east
of Galway) at 57 miles. This new 4-lane motorway runs, smooth and quiet, coast
to coast across the country, from Galway to Dublin. There was one toll (a mere
1.80) after 8 miles. We passed no services, though fuel was indicated at
exit 15.
Near Athlone, on the east shore of Lough Rea (fed by
the River Shannon), there is a campsite just 2.5 miles from the M6 (take
junction 9 or 11, as exit 10 is closed). It was easy to find, on the left of
N55 in Ballykeeran village, shortly before the 'Dog and Duck' pub. We broke
the journey to Dun Laoghaire here, parked by the lake among the coots, ducks
and drakes.
We watched a
patient angler under his broad umbrella (yes, it's raining) and enjoyed the
company of the warden, John, who came round in the evening. He's a great man
for the Craic (definition: chiefly Irish 'enjoyable entertainment; a
good time' or Scottish/North English 'conversation').
To Dun Laoghaire - 88 miles and so to
Holyhead, Anglesey, North Wales Stena Line Terminal for
Fast Ferry 'Stena Explorer' to Holyhead. www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry. N
53.29662Ί W 6.13309Ί
Just
2.5 miles back to M6, junction 9, then east on the quiet motorway across 'the
Bog' a flat land of cattle and sheep pasture, altitude
around 280 ft, with large tracts of peat cutting. The M6 merged with the
M4, after which we stopped at the only service station (Infield) at 49 miles.
Here we bought a bargain souvenir of our visit: a box set of 6 DVDs 'Ireland:
The People and Events that shaped the Emerald Isle'. Four discs cover history
from Cromwell onwards, while the others focus on James Joyce and J P Donleavy.
We look forward to them all.
There was only one toll point (charged at car rate:
2.80) at 56 miles. We crossed the River Liffey at 67 miles, traffic becoming
heavier as we approached the capital. Take care on meeting the Dublin Ring,
M50. For the Dun Laoghaire ferry, follow signs Southbound (toll-free), but for
Dublin Port ferries follow Northbound (and pay a toll,
perhaps through number plate recognition, or so we were
told).
We turned north for Dun Laoghaire, with a view of the
Wicklow Hills through a mist of rain to the south. From exit 14 at 83 miles we
followed the ferry signs along Seapoint Beach, then left on Harbour Road and
into the port. Having booked on-line, check-in was smooth. We cleared the 3.8 m
height limit and took our place on the dock, with plenty of time before the
1.15 pm departure. 'Free WiFi' declared a sign on the terminal building and
indeed there was for just 30 minutes, once you had registered your details.
The connection was so slow that we just had time to check for incoming
email.
Once on board, the Irish
Sea was so calm and the fast ferry so stable that we scarcely noticed the
2-hour crossing, as we tucked into excellent fish & chips in the
self-service restaurant. We arrived on time in busy Holyhead and joined the
A55 along the north coast of Wales, a much more congested country. We already
missed Ireland and we'll be back.
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